Top Gun 2's Missing Original Movie Characters Avoided A Sequel Problem
Top Gun: Maverick is one of the best legacy sequels ever made, and cleverly managed to avoid a classic movie mistake by not bringing back a lot of the original characters. In addition to the incredible flight scenes and cheesy 80's soundtrack, Top Gun's lasting appeal is in no small way down to its memorable characters. Top Gun: Maverick's decision to focus on the current generation of Top Gun pilots, however, should be seen as a good one, rather than a missed opportunity.
In Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise's Maverick hasn't progressed up the Naval chain of command since the original Top Gun back in 1986. This arrested development enables him to be brought back to Top Gun for a special mission. Most of the other characters from the original movie however are missing from Top Gun: Maverick, with only Val Kilmer's Iceman returning for an important cameo halfway through the movie. Important characters such as Kelly McGillis' Charlie and Meg Ryan's Carole Bradshaw are absent from the new story (though brief footage of Carole from Top Gun does appear as a flashback). Similarly, the original Top Gun pilots like Jester, Viper, Slider, Sundown, and Merlin aren't even referenced.
Related: Top Gun: Maverick Ending Explained (In Detail)
Having the original pilots and other characters from Top Gun missing from Top Gun: Maverick is actually a good move for the story and a smart decision overall. It may seem counter-intuitive to not bring back beloved characters from the original Top Gun (as generations of fans have grown up with the pilots and supporting cast), and it would have been an easy nostalgia win to have them turn up in cameos or otherwise referenced. Having Charlie or Carole still around might have even changed the story
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